Education can assist develop SA

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Pretoria – Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi has encouraged South Africans to make use of opportunities of learning so they can contribute to the development of the country.

Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi was speaking at the 12th Annual National Oral History Conference which was held in Durban under the theme: “Freedom Charter, Memories and (UN) Freedoms” on Tuesday.

She called on delegates at the conference to read the Freedom Charter as it advocates for social cohesion.

“The Freedom Charter reflects the demands of the people who are scholars, farmers, miners, workers in general, men and women irrespective of creed, colour or race,” Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi said.

The Charter promotes equality and majority rule as it is a document of peace and not division.

The conference is aimed at acquiring information that would be added to the information already existing in the country’s archival holdings and to promote and facilitate the recording, preservation, access, popularisation and study of oral history in South Africa.

“I commend the efforts of Oral History Association of South Africa (OHASA) for ensuring that oral history cascades down to schools so that we have active citizens of the future who will not be ignorant of the sacrifices made by our forbearers in the liberation struggle,” she said.

Since its establishment eleven years ago, the oral history programme has launched the iNkosi Albert Luthuli History Competition for school learners, conducted workshops as well as organising excursions with specific focus on marginalised heritage in the provinces. – SAnews.gov.za